UPDATE, Jan 4:
Over 1000 individuals from environmental, religious groups, local communities and academics from across the world have petitioned President Umaru Musa Yar'Adua, urging him to ensure that gas flaring is brought to an end unequivocally by the first day of January, 2008.

The petition was delivered at the weekend by Environmental Rights Action/Friends of the Earth, Nigeria (ERA/FoEN), Executive Director, Nnimmo Bassey to Edo State Commissioner for Information and Orientation, Barrister Calus Enoma for onward delivery to the president.

BACKGROUND:


The Nigerian Government has fixed January 1st, 2008, as the deadline for oil companies to put out their gas flares throughout the Niger Delta. 

Recently, there have been moves by the oil companies, notably Shell Nigeria and Chevron to further shift this deadline to 2010, which will result in a continued and unabated destruction of the environment. This is unacceptable by any standards. Wwe invite you to join the campaign to insist that the flares be put out on the first day of 2008.

Kindly visit this webpage to send a letter to the Nigerian president on this urgent matter. http://www.eraction.org/index.php?option=com_mailit_g